Contents:

1. Ecologic Institute Welcomes the Paris Climate Agreement - News
2. ETS E-Learning - Online Course
3. Evaluation of the EU ETS Directive - Publication
4. A Framework for Member States to Support Business in Improving its Resource Efficiency - Publication
5. Resource-Efficient Land Use - Publication
6. Soil Protection Solutions beyond the International Year of Soils - News
7. Designing Governance and Financing Regimes to Encourage Innovation Uptake - Publication
8. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems - Presentation
9. Energy Policy and Structural Change in Germany - Study Tour for State Senators and Representatives of the US Midwest
10. Putting Climate Change Adaptation in Europe into Practice - Transnational BASE Training Course
11. Climate and Energy Policy in Germany - Study Tour for Journalists from India

1. Ecologic Institute Welcomes the Paris Climate Agreement - News

   On 12 December 2015, 194 countries and the EU adopted the new "Paris Agreement" under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ecologic Institute's Ralph Bodle and Lena Donat had supported the German Delegation for several years and were on the EU negotiating team up to and in Paris.
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2. ETS E-Learning - Online Course

   This online platform is part of an ongoing ETS Summer University program that helps to meet the growing need for improved understanding of emissions trading as an instrument of climate policy in emerging economies and developing countries. The curriculum and corresponding activities are organized into course modules, which allows for differentiation and flexibility in the learning process. Participants from all over the world learn the material online for free with the aid of supplementary webinars that feature interactive, question-and-answer sessions with subject matter experts. Ecologic Institute is responsible for large parts of the course content and coordination among the subject matter experts.
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3. Evaluation of the EU ETS Directive - Publication

   The European Commission's "better regulation" agenda requires that new legislative proposals be accompanied by an evaluation of already existing relevant legislation. This study therefore evaluates the EU Emissions Trading Directive in light of potential changes to it within Europe's overall Climate and Energy Package 2030. The report uses a systematic approach to evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and EU added value of the EU ETS Directive. The study is available for download.
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4. A Framework for Member States to Support Business in Improving its Resource Efficiency - Publication

   In order to support businesses in improving their resource efficiency, Member States use a variety of approaches, ranging from voluntary to regulatory measures. This study assesses the scope of application of ten relevant measures and provides good practice cases across Member States. Through data gathering on Member State level, this study found a wide range of successful examples of measures, varying by country and region. A number of lessons learnt can be drawn from their application; these are useful for the design of support measures in other Member States. The study is available for download.
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5. Resource-Efficient Land Use - Publication

   After almost four years of intensive research on sustainable land use at the global level, the GLOBALANDS project ended in April 2015. A synthesis report was published by the Federal Agency of Environment in October 2015. The report summarizes major findings of the research and discussions undertaken in the project. Future pathways towards global sustainable land use are described and recommendations for German policy are presented. The synthesis ends by posing the remaining questions that need further investigation and discussion. The report is available for download.
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6. Soil Protection Solutions beyond the International Year of Soils - News

   The World Soil Day on December 5th 2015 marked the end of the International Year of Soils. Throughout this past year, various activities and efforts took place to raise awareness of the profound importance of soils for human life and to promote soil protection. Soils deliver essential ecosystem services such as food, fiber and biomass production, water and nutrient cycling and the storage of carbon. The protection of this resource also plays a key role in mitigating and adapting to climate change. As the International Year of Soils comes to an end, the need to stop and reverse soil degradation remains acute. In partnership with researchers across Europe, Ecologic Institute will continue to actively contribute to the development of solutions for soil protection.
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7. Designing Governance and Financing Regimes to Encourage Innovation Uptake - Publication

   Within the European water research project "Demonstrate Ecosystem Services Enabling Innovation in the Water Sector (DESSIN)," a policy brief on governance factors conducive to innovation in the urban water sector was published. Josselin Rouillard and Rodrigo Vidaurre from Ecologic Institute, provide five key recommendations on policy frameworks, incentives and stakeholder management strategies that can be employed to encourage innovation uptake in urban water management. The policy brief is targeted to water managers and policy makers and is available for download.
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8. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems - Presentation

   On 18 November 2015, McKenna Davis, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, gave a presentation at the European Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems. The biennial conference, organized by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the European Network of Heads of Nature Conservation Agencies (ENCA), focused on "Nature-based solutions to climate change in urban areas and their rural surroundings: Linkages between science, policy and practice." The presentation slides are available for download.
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9. Energy Policy and Structural Change in Germany - Study Tour for State Senators and Representatives of the US Midwest

   A group of 12 decision makers from the Midwest in the USA came to Germany from 15 until 21 November 2015 in order to explore and discuss German energy policy and aspects of structural change in former industrial and coal regions. Participants were able to speak with representatives from ministries, (state) parliaments, think tanks and businesses in Berlin, Cologne and Dusseldorf.
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10. Putting Climate Change Adaptation in Europe into Practice - Transnational BASE Training Course

    On 29 and 30 October 2015, the Fundação da Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa (FFCUL) and Ecologic Institute, Berlin, convened a training course in Palmela (Portugal) on behalf of the BASE project. Designed for 16 carefully selected adaptation practitioners from all over Europe, the course provided a curriculum dedicated to the implementation of climate change adaptation projects, and offered illustration through hands-on examples, practical experience and case studies, heavily based on the results obtained from the BASE project. The presentation slides are available for download.
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11. Climate and Energy Policy in Germany - Study Tour for Journalists from India

    A group of 10 leading journalists came to Germany from 27 September to 3 October 2015 in order to explore and discuss German climate and energy policy. Participants were able to speak with representatives from ministries, parliament, think tanks and businesses in Berlin, Freiburg and Stuttgart. The visit was scheduled around the second meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Prime Minister Modi during her state visit to India.
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